12 devotees killed, 39 injured as truck rams crowd near Sheetla Mata temple in Gwalior

Devotees who had gone to seek the goddess's blessings during Navratri in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, were struck by tragedy when a truck lost control and ploughed into the crowd on the road leading to the Sheetla Mata temple. Twelve devotees were killed and 39 were injured. The incident took place late on Saturday night and caused alarm across the area.

According to the information available, a large crowd of devotees had gathered at the Sheetla Mata temple on Saturday night because of Navratri, and the temple premises were packed. At that time, a truck loaded with grain came towards the temple from the road leading from the direction of Chhinor.

The road has a steep slope, and heavy vehicles are reportedly banned there. At around 1:30 am, police tried to stop the truck. However, the driver is said to have broken through the police barricades and driven on.

On the slope the truck picked up speed and the driver lost control. The truck then hit shops in the temple area and the devotees who had come for darshan. It finally crashed into the outer wall and the entrance gate of the temple. The impact caused chaos at the spot.

So far, 12 deaths have been reported. The 39 injured have been admitted to hospital for treatment. Five to six of them are said to be in critical condition.

Senior Superintendent of Police Dharamveer Singh of Gwalior gave details of the number of injured. Some of the injured have serious fractures, while others have minor injuries. Two police personnel on duty were also injured and are being treated. As the seriously injured are under treatment, it is feared that the death toll could rise, but the final figure has yet to be officially confirmed.

On learning of the accident, local residents rushed to the spot. Police and the administration began relief work immediately and took the injured to hospital in ambulances. Panic spread through the temple area, and many devotees ran about searching for their relatives.

Questions are now being raised about how the driver lost control, how the truck came onto a road where it was banned, and how it went on despite the police attempt to stop it. Police are investigating all these matters.

A pall of grief has settled over the area following the tragedy that struck devotees who had gone for darshan during the sacred Navratri festival. The accident has again brought into focus the questions of crowd management at religious places, traffic control and the safety of devotees.